The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-06
LAYING OF THE PIPELINE
How the Work Will Be Done, and the
Kind Of Material That Will Be Used.
The Gas Trust Canvassers Increase Their
Stock Subscriptions to About $500, 600
Meetings of Citizens Last Night.


act distance to the city will require the laying
Of a trunk line twenty-five miles long, and in
shis there will be used 7.O4O rods of wrought
Iron pipe twelve inches in diameter E very
joint has been subjected to a test
OF 500 pounds pressure to the square
inch. The weight of the pipe is
200 pounds to the rod. which makes the total:
weight of the twenty-five miles of pipe be
used 1925. 900 pounds, or 2, AGA tons. To trans
port this immense weight requires cars
for every mile of pipe. If all was loaded at one
rime train of 154 cars would be needed. 1t.
however. will be shipped at the rate of seven
carloads per day until all 10 on the ground.
the ditch in which the pipe ia TO be laid will
be twenty inches wide and four feet in depth.
The men employed will, in few days. be in
creased to 400. The ditching will De done on
the cultivated lands crossed by the line during
the dry weather, TO do the least possible
damage either to growing crops. fences, or the
cultivated land. The pipe in to be placed in 20
Sition in the ditch with white oak block. two
inches thick, under each joint. the filings being
made with lock joints, instead Of the usual
screwng together of the ends. Molten lead
will be poured in and around the joints as to
make them absolutely tight This work is to
be done under the supervision of experienced
and skilled workmen. To properly 1T each joint
will require thirty four pounds of lead. and for
the twenty-five miles 240. 900 pounds. or 100 tons
will be used When the fitting is perfected the
dirt is to be packed under and around the pipe
30 closely and solidly that there will be pos
sibility of its changing position Or of the joints
becoming strained. The whole line will be
firmly imbedded that it cannot move or settle q
particle. The danger of accidents or explosions
along the trunk line, it is said. will be by this
means absolutely overcome.
The line will probably be completed to In
dianapohs within thirty days. and certainly be-
fore New Years. The company by that time
will have twenty-five wells ready to
IS fast may be necessary to supply
the demand for gas. The line is being laid with
. view to future extension. if it is found neces-
Sary to get supply as far away as seventy i've
miles northeast of Indianapolis The first
lateral line will enter the trunk at a point
seventeen miles northeast OF this city, that be-
ing the nearest point at which gas is found in
sufficient quantity and of sufficient pressure to
commence feeding the main line The size of
the various lateral INES Will De governed OF the
distance. together with the number OF wells
from which they are to carry to the main
line. Other lines will feed the main line from
each side points further north.
The pressure in the trunk line will be two
hundred pounds to the square inch at Mobiles
vile. and that in the lateral lines and the wells
will have to be sufficient TO overcome this pres
sure before any gas from given well or lateral
line will flow into the trunk line. Ii the mouth
of the tank line at the Indianapolis cad be left
open to permit an unobstructed flow of the
full volume of gas there will be gradual and
uniform dlminunition of this pressure from 200
pounds a pressure of one pound; but if the
mouth of the pipe be closed and no gas is al
lowed to escape, the pressure will become uni
form and stationary the whole length of the
line Eau remain absolutely motionless until by
opening the whole body OF gas is again put
In motion. The gradual dlmunition of pressure
from the source of supply TO permit the escape
will again go on, the degree being measured
by the quantity of gas drawn out
for no part of it is lost in transportation. When
gas is once put in the line the whole amount, if
the pressure at the source of supply be sufficient
to force it through the pipe. will reach the fur
Their end without a particle of loss. A well will
draw the gas from under large area, and there
fore the wells not drilled near to each other.
Twenty wells drilled on twenty different
ply gas at sufficient pressure to
in the pipeline more than twenty times
as long as twenty wells on one farm for the
reason that the area from which the gas will be
drawn, or the source of supply will be more
than twenty times the extent of that one farm.
The cost of drilling many wells is saved, thus
cheapening the cost of producing The
wells, therefore, embrace a vast extent of terri
tory, and it will require many miles OF pipe for
the lateral lines to bring the gas to the trunk
line, and in the aggregate cost more than the
trunk line itself. A well that will weld 10000
cubic feet of gas per day, if the flow of gas be
wholly unobstrueted, would show a pressure at
the mouth Of the well of only one pound, If,
however, the escaping gas be shut in. the pres
sure will instantly increase, and continue to in
crease until the pressure at the top of the well
is equal to that OF the rock pressure. When,
In the trunk line if closed, the pressure is uni
form and stationary from the top to the bottom
Of the well All gas wells are drilled the same
size, the value of well being determined not
SO much by the high pressure it will register
by the rapidity with which it will attain
that pressure when the escaping of the
gas is shut off Thus well. which, when shut
in, registers 300 pounds pressure in ten seconds
is a N UGH better well than which will re-
quire twenty seconds to register that pressure,
for the reason that the output of gas in given
length OF time is much more. The difference in
the length OF time required by the different
wells to show the greatest pressure they will
attain depends entirely upon the condition of
the Trenton limestone at the point where gas is
.ound. II the rock is coarse and very porous,
~ to admit of a free flow of gas. it will
show the pressure quicker and yield more gas
in the same length of time than when the rock
is fine and hard, as to obstruct the outflow Of
the gas. There have been many ingenious con-
trivances and inventions with which to measure
the number of cubic feet of gas we'll will pro-
duce, but no one has yet succeeded in perfecting
any means by which an actual measurement of
the output of genuine gusher can be ascer-
tanned; SO the best that can be done Is to estl-
mate the yield, and experienced man, en-
gagged in the pipeline work, will not hazard
sven approximate idea to how much gas
the Noblesville field will yield. He says. how
over. it will supply all that indianapolis will
have any use for for many years. New wells
will be drilled, As others may weaken or the
demand may increase that unfinished
supply can be depended upon.
The Trust Company's subscriptions.
The interests Of the Consumers Gas Trust
Company progressed. yesterday, with the favor
able indications that have attended it from the
outset By Monday it is thought an accurate
statement as to the amount of subscriptions can
be given. This is now impossible. as tie sub
scription books are in the hands of over 200 per-
eors John Trenzel and Frederck Fahnley
have alone raised $50, 900 in subscriptions. The
subscribers of one two and three shares pre-
dominate. but theirs many who take them in
sums of $500 and 81 600 It was thought last
evening that over $500, 900 had been secured.
and that the percentage of loss this sum.
when the first assessment yas paid in, would be
less than So, 900.
The gas meetings held in various wards, last
night, were well attended, and while no sub
Bcriptions taken, as that is TO be the work